Medicare Drug Plans using Medicare's NEW Part D Plan Finder (2020)

[@joannquinn9160]

Do you have any questions or comments about Medicare's new Part D Plan Finder?

[@lenaland]

I absolutely love your bloopers at the end of your recent videos...

[@Remedigap]

Thank you! 😀

[@ceepark114]

I'm still trying to sort things out for my husband who is turning 65 in March. I have found all this Medicare stuff so confusing. Your video has helped and will get on the site and compare part D plans to try to get him on the best one, thanks.

[@Remedigap]

Thank you for watching. I'm glad to hear the videos are helpful. Please reach out if I can be of further assistance.

[@gailcole9913]

Thanks Joann as always!!! I am pretty computer savy and did not find this new plan finder hard. I may have been confused however if you had not explained about the new plan verses the old one!! I take only a few drugs but found out switching plans will save me money! I don't think it should be so difficult though, for seniors who are not comfortable on a computer. Thanks for being so helpful all year round! And thanks for the birthday card!!! Anyone looking for an honest, reliable agent should give Joanne a call!!!

[@Remedigap]

Hi Gail...I'm glad you found the new Plan Finder easy to use. Please remember to check the plans again on October 15; that's when the 2020 Part D Plans are officially available. 👍

[@lucyriordan4657]

Thank you Joann. You do a great job of explaining everything clearly and concisely! So happy to have you as my agent

[@Remedigap]

Thank you, Lucy! 😊

[@lazykat4033]

What is the difference when you check Drug Plan(Part D) or Drug Plan (Part D) + Medigap policy? I've noticed when comparing two plans, one had a premium of $16/mo and another with premium of $32/mo. Same deductible. But the annual cost difference from the report can be $400-$500. Why are some plans so much different and what should I look for? Thanks in advance.

[@Remedigap]

I find it easier to check "Drug Plan (Part D)" only. The reason there is a difference in annual cost is b/c each Part D plan has a different drug formulary and pricing. So, a medication that may be a Tier 3 on one plan, can be a Tier 4 with a different plan - or not covered at all. Pharmacy choice also makes a difference in cost. Each plan (even with the same insurance carrier) has contracted "preferred in-network" or "standard in-network" or even "out-of-network" costs. It's best to look at plans that have the "lowest estimated costs" for you medications+monthly premiums.

[@jellofarce]

I've been using the Plan Finder tool, to great effect, since 2006...the new site is a terrible, functionally useless tool in comparison. Too many examples to list, since all my time will be used deciphering, recalculating, etc.. Bravo!

[@Remedigap]

Hi Jose...it's been a painful process for me too. We can only hope Medicare will take notice and make some needed improvements to the Plan Finder Tool.

[@jamesebola1250]

Just did some browsing for new 2020 Part D plans. I was hoping to get Aetna Medicare plan. It is not available in 2020. For the other plans monthly cost may be low, but out of pocket is higher. Basically, we are getting less and less for our money, year after year. This is one big shell game, misleading and created to be confusing.

[@lyndayoung8761]

You did a good job demoing PlanFinder but I hate New PF. First it defaults to Lowest Premium not Lowest Drug Costs. If you are taking any Tier 3 drugs, getting lower copays might be more savings than getting low premium. Second it doesn't show Lowest Out Of Pocket (or total cost including premium like old PF) So to see that, you have to annualized the premium and add to total drug cost! Aye-yi-yi do math? Third to print the plan details it uses 8 pages for each plan. It's hard to help mom or grandma with their Part D if you're printing 30 pages. Hope they fix these issues before 10/15 🤞☹️

[@Remedigap]

Hi Lynda, It's unfortunate that the new Plan Finder Tool doesn't show the lowest costs (including the premium). This was a great feature on the original tool. I, too, am crossing my fingers that this is fixed by October 15.

[@TheWilferch]

The new plan finder is a DISASTER compared to the old finder. Yep....the medication list I saved before is gone. Furthermore.....the new tool (it seems) does not allow you to save the new list. They rolled this out without proper development. Why was it changed? ....what?....the process was not confusing enough? Seems that is their plan....to keep you in a constant state of confusion........

[@Remedigap]

I miss not being able to save a drug list too.

[@TheWilferch]

@@Remedigap ...here's the catch-22. If you don't take many drugs, or only a few.....you simply re-enter the list of drugs (you ALSO have to list the dosage and frequency of use, so it gets to be a bit much.). For those people that take a few drugs this is not much of a problem, having to repeat this whenever you use the finder, but it's still stupid. I'm searching for a plan for my wife....she takes 17 drugs...and some are expensive. You run the plan finder to compare TOTAL costs, which are the premiums and predicted med costs.... it is precisely for these folks that the plan finder comparison tool is important, in order to get the lowest total cost....and it is precsiely these folks that are negatively impacted the most, by this idiotic "upgrade" the govt did without proper development....they just threw something together and rolled-it-out. And why change? The old finder was still workable. And we pay for this lousy quality work with our taxes. If this were a private company, we'd fire them and hire someone else. Disgusting.

[@lynnohrel1318]

I am on two medications that only cost 7.00 each a month with no insurance. That’s a grand total of $168 for a whole year. They are Generic. At this time I can’t justify purchasing a drug D plan

[@Remedigap]

Hi Lynn...Purchasing a Part D plan is optional; however, you are susceptible to a late enrollment penalty later on when you do add a drug plan. If you're interested, you can read more about it at www.medicare.gov/drug-coverage-part-d/costs-for-medicare-drug-coverage/part-d-late-enrollment-penalty.

[@vapeking466]

Lots of folks just get the cheapest plan d to avoid the penalty later. The longer you go without part d the higher the panalty will be and the penalty will be for the REST of your life. Fair? No just letting you know.

[@thesituation8514]

So beautiful

[@9929kingfish]

Why aren’t medigap plans compared in Medicare.gov?

[@Remedigap]

Although Medigap Plan benefits are standardized by the federal government, they are managed on the state level; which may be why Medicare doesn't have a comparison tool for Medigap plans. If you're looking for information, feel free to visit my website where you can request Medigap quotes specific to your area. www.remedigap.com